1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door trim connector connecting structure for vehicles in which a connector on a door trim panel is engaged by screw tightening with a connector situated on the inner side of the door trim panel or on the door inner panel after the door trim panel is mounted to the door inner panel.
2. Related Art
FIG. 7 shows the connector connecting structure of a car door trim disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-185135.
In this structure, a rib 82 is formed in parallel with a door trim panel 81, conductors 84 of a circuit 83 are arranged for the rib 82 to form a plurality of male connectors 85, female connectors 87 for accommodating the male connectors 85 are formed on the door inner panel 81, and the door trim panel 81 is then mounted to the door inner panel 86 at the same time that the connectors 85 and 87 are connected.
The circuit 83 on the door trim panel 81 is connected to a door switch unit 89 provided on a bulging portion 88 (shown in FIG. 8) on the inner side of the car. The connectors 87 on the door inner panel 86 are connected to a power window motor 90, a door lock unit 91, a door mirror unit 92, and a speaker 93. Upon connection of the male and female connectors 85 and 87, the switch unit 89 is connected to the above auxiliary units 90, 91, 92, and 93.
Unlike other structures disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-249516 in which a door inner panel already provided with various auxiliary units is mounted to an outer panel, lead wires of the motor 90 or the speaker 93 can be prevented from getting caught, and no damage is caused to the wire harness.
With the above conventional structure, however, it is necessary to minimize errors in attaching the door trim panel 81 and deformation of the door trim panel 81, because the connection between the switch unit 89 on the door trim panel side and a plurality of the auxiliary units 90 to 93 on the inner panel side depends on attachment of the door trim panel 81. With the structure in which the door trim panel 81 is first positioned in the upper portion of the door inner panel 86, it is necessary to maintain high mold accuracy, because the rib 82 should have flexibility so as to eliminate differences in angle between the male and female connectors 85 and 87.